


Lock Down

by AlwaysWrong



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Gen, School Shootings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-22
Updated: 2013-12-06
Packaged: 2018-01-02 09:02:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1054935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysWrong/pseuds/AlwaysWrong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It may not be the best high school in the world, but then again Austin isn’t the best city in the world, so why should the school’s be any better. But nobody expected what happened that cold November day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lock Down

Geoff was doing everything he could do to stay awake. He was sitting in his desk in the back of his trigonometry class filled with juniors and some really smart sophomores as a senior because he had fucked around his junior year. Which is why he was stuck in the class snapping a rubber band against his wrist to keep from falling asleep.

Michael, one of Geoff’s junior friends, was sitting in the desk beside him doodling in the margins of his notebook. He looked over at Geoff and watched the rubber band snap against his friend’s wrist again. He couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, seeing the line of red bruises on Geoff’s wrist.

-

Gavin loved art class. He was good at it. He knelt on a stool in the back of the art classroom, kneading a block of clay with the heels of his hands. He was wearing one of his dad’s old white button up shirts over his clothes. His mom got tired of him coming home with his shirt covered in paint or chalk or whatever the class was working with that day and made him wear the shirt as a smock. Gavin didn’t mind much though, he like the shirt. He hadn’t washed it since he started wearing it and it was covered in paint and clay and chalk dust. It was just like another art project.

Griffon was sitting next to him, dragging a piece of coal around a page in her sketchbook. Unbeknownst to Gavin, she was sketching him in profile. Again. A lot of the pages in her sketchbook were filled with drawings, sketches, and paintings of the British foreign exchange student. No, she didn’t have a crush on him, no matter how much the art teacher, Mr. Burton, teased her about it. She was in love with her boyfriend Geoff. Gavin was just an easy subject to draw.

-

Ray started as the Spanish worksheet on his desk in front of him, trying to make sense of the words and translate them into English. But it just looked like a bunch of gibberish to him. It didn’t matter that he was Puerto Rican and spoke fluent Spanish, he also grew up speaking English and learned how to read and write in English because they live in America. He took Spanish thinking it would be an easy class, but boy was he wrong. He learned quickly that there was a big difference between speaking a language and reading and writing it. He would need to ask his Nana for help when he got home.

-

Lindsay couldn’t help but reach over and hit a few keys on Jack’s keyboard. It was too easy. Jack would flip his shit if anything happened to the project they had been working on for almost a month now. He saved every few minutes. Lindsay hitting a few keys wouldn’t affect the video project, but it made Jack’s face turn fifty shades of red and it never not made her laugh.

"How would you like it if I did that to you?" Jack said, reaching over and repeatedly hitting the delete key on her keyboard.

"Don’t! We haven’t saved yet." Ryan said, punching Jack’s arm away.

Lindsay let out a loud laugh that made their computer teacher look up from his monitor and glare in their direction. Lindsay dropped her gaze back to her screen and tried to quiet her laughing. She batted the boy’s hands away from the keyboard and saved the video editing progress before Ryan started to cry.

-

_Bang!_

-

"Was that the bell?" Geoff asked, looking over at Michael.

"Did that sound like a bell to you?" Michael asked back.

-

Griffon jumped, her charcoal skirting across the page, leaving a dark line through the middle of her drawing of Gavin. She pursed her lips together in an displeased frown, looking from her sketchbook to the door.

Gavin stared nervously at the door, his dirty, clay covered fingers scarping at the wooden table top.

-

Another gunshot rang out, followed by the sound of terrified screams and running feet.

-

Within seconds of the second gunshot Mr. Sanchez had the door locked and closed and the lights off. He was going around pulling the few kids who were still in their desks out and shoving them against the far wall, away from the door.

Ray was one of the students who Mr. Sanchez had to move. He was shoved roughly to the floor and against the wall. His bum hit the ground hard when he was shoved down and it knocked him back into reality.

Someone was in the school with a gun and firing. For once Ray was grateful for the fact that the Spanish classroom didn’t have any windows in it. But at the same time he wished it did so they could get out of the school.

-

Lindsay was huddled under a computer table in the corner with Jack and Ryan sitting in front of her. She was clutching the backs of their shirts tightly and shaking violently. The two had pushed her under the table after the first shot rang out.

The six other students in the classroom were huddled under the tables as well. Mr. Ryan had shoved one of the heavy computer tables in front of the door and was kneeling beside a wall.

-

Michael visibly flinched when two more shots echoed through the halls. Geoff wrapped a protective arm around Michael’s shoulders, pulling him closer.

The two were sitting in the closet hiding spot they could find near their desks. The space between the filing cabinet and the back wall, behind the teacher’s desk. It was a pretty small space for two teenagers, but they didn’t care that they were pressed up against each other.

Michael rested his head on Geoff’s shoulder, closing his eyes and trying to block out the sounds of what was going on.

-

Griffon couldn’t stop the tears that steamed down her cheeks as she sat in the corner behind the paint shelf with Gavin. She was terrified. Her father hunter and she would tag along occasionally. She knew what gunshots sounded like and she knew they the shots that had been fired were getting closer to the arm wing.

Gavin was sitting beside her, half in her lap, his arms around her waist. She knew the lad was scared as she was, probably more so. She knew he wanted Geoff. Geoff’s family was Gavin’s host family and Gavin saw Geoff as an older brother. To be honest, Griffon wanted Geoff too. Something about having the slightly crazy lad with her always calmed her down.

Griffon picked her head up off the wall and looked around. The other students were hiding all over the room. Ali, Caiti, Joel, and Nathan were sitting in the small supply closet in the corner. Mr. Burton sat behind his desk with Jade and Jinx. Kerry was sitting in Chris’s lap in the small crevasse behind the kiln.

Her eyes stopped on the table she and Gavin were sitting at across the room, just moments ago. Her chalk and chunks of charcoal were scattered across the floor. On the table sat a wad of wet paper towels, a mug of water, and Gavin’s half sculpted monster that he had been working on for almost a week now. She knew if it sat out any longer the clay would start to dry out and all Gavin’s hard work would be wasted.

-

Geoff pulled his phone out and stared at the screen. He texted his dad. His dad was more that just a parent. After his mom walked out on them when Geoff was eight, his dad tried his best to be the best parent that he could. He ended up becoming one of Geoff’s best friends. They may not have lived the best live, living in the small apartment above the tattoo parlor that his father owned, but Geoff wouldn’t change it for the world.

Michael saw Geoff pull out his cell phone and took his out too, sending a text to his mom. He texted her saying that he loved her and that he was sorry. The night before the two had gotten into a huge fight because Michael had broken curfew because he was at Geoff’s playing video games with everyone and had lost track of time. The fight had ended with some harsh words coming from Michael and him storming off and not talking to her in the morning. He didn’t want her thinking that he really did hate her, if something did happen.

-

"How long do we have to stay like this?" Lindsay whispered, leaning forward and rested her head against Ryan’s shoulder.

Jack moved back and sat beside her along the wall, rubbing her back gently.

"Until it’s safe." Ryan whispered back.

"I want to go home. I want my mom. I want my dad." she said, wiping her nose with her wrist.

"We all do Lindsay." Jack said quietly.

Ryan nodded, turning around and pulling the younger girl into his lap. Lindsay was like a little sister to Ryan. The two had grown up together and he had always looked out for her. She used to live two trailers down from him, until her father got a better job and moved into a suburban neighborhood. Ryan still lived with his mom in their small one bedroom trailer, where he slept on the pullout couch and his mom worked too many shifts at the Waffle House just to keep them on their feet. Lindsay may have moved into a better neighborhood and there were no more late nights, lying on the roof of his trailer, stargazing, but his protective feelings over the girl never left.

-

For the first time, Ray realized how small the Spanish classroom was. It was one of the smallest class rooms in the whole school and it was full of stuff. Twenty student desks, the teacher’s desk, two filling cabinets, and three bookshelves filled with textbooks. There were ten other people in the room, along with Ray.

Ray tried to keep himself calm, but the room kept seeming to get smaller and smaller. He had been crying and shaking since the first shot was fired and it was just getting worse. He quickly rose to his knees, his shoulder knocking a book of the desk beside him.

"Ray, sit back down." Mr. Sanchez snapped quietly.

"I-I need to get out of here. It’s too small. I-I need to leave." he stuttered, his voice getting louder as the panic made itself very known.

"Ray, you can’t leave." the teacher said, staying low to the floor as he moved across the room.

"It’s too small in here. I can’t breathe." Ray said, tugging at the collar of his hoodie. His breath was coming in short pants on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Ray. Calm down. Take a deep breath." Mr. Sanchez said.

"Look, Ray. I know you’re scared." said the senior quarterback, Burnie said, crawling over to Ray and taking him by his shoulders. "We’re all scared, but now is not time for one of your panic attacks."

"I can’t help it." Ray sobbed, cover his face with his hands.

"I know you can’t. But you have to calm down, okay?" he said, his voice kind, quiet, and sweet. "Take a deep breath. Nice and slow. In through your nose. Out through your mouth."

Ray nodded and did what Burnie said, breathing through his fingers.

"That’s it. You’re doing good." Burnie said, taking Ray by his wrists and pulling him back down so they were sitting together against the wall. "Just keep breathing like that. We’re gonna be fine."

Ray sat close to Burnie, taking his glasses off and burying his face in the fabric of the quarterback’s letterman jacket.

-

"Geoff, are we gonna die?" Michael asked, chewing on his lower lip.

Geoff looked from his phone to Michael. This was the first time that he had ever seen the lad cry. He didn’t cry when he broke his arm or when he and Lindsay broke up the first time. But now, the lad had tears rolling down his flushed cheeks.

"No, Michael. We’re gonna be fine. It’s been like half an hour since we heard a gunshot." Geoff said, rubbing Michael’s shoulder with the arm that was still wrapped around him. "The police are probably here already here and—"

Geoff was cut off by the door being shaken and jerked from the outside. A short collective gasp went through the classroom. Geoff pulled Michael closer, holding him tightly. He could feel tears to start to roll down his cheeks.

A few moments later, footsteps were heard running down the hall. Geoff let out the breath that he didn’t know he was holding. He loosened his grip on Michael and looked back down at his phone in his lap. He had been texting his dad back and forth for a while now, but his dad hadn’t responded in a few minutes.

Michael leaned into Geoff, a quiet sob escaping his lips. Geoff reached over and took Michael’s hand, squeezing gently.

-

"I have a problem." Lindsay sighed, looking up at Jack.

"I know, I’m bored too." he joked, trying to make light of the situation.

"No, I have to pee." she sighed, staring up at the bottom of the table. "I’ve had to pee since class started."

Lindsay was stretched out on the floor with her head resting in Jack’s lap. Ryan was sitting in front of her, trapping her between him and the wall.

Lindsay was still scared and shaken, but it had been almost half an hour since they had heard anything and they were still stuck in the computer lab, waiting for someone to come tell them it was safe to leave.

Jack wasn’t worried anymore, he had heard chaos coming from the slightly open windows almost twenty minutes ago. Police, parents, SWAT, and who knew who else was outside the school.

-

Griffon froze when a sound came from the door. It took her a second to realize that it was someone knocking. Nobody moved to answer the door.

"All clear!" A voice called from where in the halls just as the person knocked on the door again.

Mr. Burton rose and answered the door. A man dressed in full SWAT gear was standing in the doorway.

"Single file line please. Follow me. Don’t go to your lockers, don’t go to another exit. Just follow me." the SWAT man said.

Griffon rose slowly with all of the other students. Gavin clung to her side as they made their way across the classroom. Griffon looked back at their table as they left the classroom. Gavin’s monster sculpture was dried out.

The SWAT man lead them down the hall and out the doors that were further from the classrooms. Something must have happened in the main hall that the police didn’t want the students to know about.

"Griffon!" Geoff shouted, as they left the building.

Griffon pulled away from the group and ran over to Geoff with Gavin in tow. Geoff wrapped his arms around both of them.

Michael was sitting the grass with Ray beside him.

"Mikey!" Lindsay hollered as she exited the building with another group of students.

"Lindsay!" he said, rising to his knees.

Lindsay dropped to her knees beside him and hugged him tightly. Michael pulled back and kissed her.

Ryan and Jack made their way across the lawn.

"Lindsay, why are your pants wet?" Ray asked.

Jack and Ryan shared a laugh while Lindsay’s cheeks turned as red as her hair.

"I had to pee." she shrugged.

"Oh, you’re gross." Michael laughed, still holding her tightly.

"Geoff, can we go home?" Gavin asked.

"Yeah. Let’s go home, Gav." he said, keeping one arm around the lad and the other around Griffon. "I’ll give rides to whoever needs them."

-

Ray lived in a small two bedroom apartment with his mom and grandma. He shared a room with his nana. Usually he found the apartment small and sometimes claustrophobic, but today as he sat on the couch in between his Mami and Nana, with a glass of warm strawberry milk in his hands, it was Heave on Earth.

-

Michael was a little surprised to see his mother home when Geoff dropped him off. He didn’t know if she was still made at him for breaking curfew, but ran into her arms anyway.

"I’m sorry, Momma." he said, hugging her tightly.

"It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re okay." she said, kissing his temple.

-

Griffon was happy and content sitting on the couch with her dad and older brother, listening to them talk about the upcoming hunting trip and watching her little sisters play with their dolls on the living room floor. Her mom was in the kitchen, finishing up making dinner. She had written her goodbyes to them, but left the note on the art room floor when the SWAT man knocked on the door.

-

It didn’t matter that Jack had six inches and fifty pounds on his grandma, when she asked him to sit in her lap after they had finished dinner and sat down to watch her game shows, he didn’t refuse. He liked that she was treating him like a child. After a few minutes he had moved to the floor at her feet, not wanting to crush her. She rubbed his shoulders as she answered the questions correctly before any of the contestants could.

"You should just be on the show, Nonna." he laughed.

"One of these day, amore. One of these days." she smiled.

-

Normally Ryan hated when he had to go to work with his mother. But he was fine sitting at the counter, talking to his mom through the order window and eating the waffles she had made for him. A few of the cute waitress stopped to talk with him when they weren’t serving the customers.

-

Geoff sat beside his dad, watching him design the tattoo he had asked for. Gavin was curled up in the recliner chair in the corner, fast asleep, clutching his sketchbook to his chest.

"I’m glad you boys are okay." his father said, glancing up from the sketchbook.

"I am too, Dad." he said, resting his head on his father’s shoulder.

"Sleep, little one." he said, going back to the tattoo. "You need it."


	2. The Bitterest Pill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The school shooting has shaken their world. Some are scared to go back to school, some are scared just to leave their houses. It doesn’t take long for things to go from bad to worse when the police start releasing news about the shooting.

It was five in the morning and Geoff was sitting on the couch, watching the local news. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since the school shoot, but the police had released some bits of information to the reporters.

"The police are still investigating a shooting that occurred yesterday at Eastside High School in Austin, Texas." the news reporter said. "Police confirm at least three people were taken to a local hospital. The identities and conditions of the victims are being withheld for their own protection. As for the identity of the shooter, that information is currently unknown."

"You should get some sleep, Geoff." his father, Drew said, dropping a hand down on his son’s shoulder.

"I tried to. Didn’t really work. School’s cancelled today." he said, looking up at his dad.

Drew took in the image of his son. Geoff was never an innocent kid, not since his mother abandoned them, but the light in his eyes was gone. His face was pale and his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. The boy looked exhausted.

-

Griffon had trouble sleeping. But that wasn’t anything new. She was used to staying up to the wee hours of the morning, working on some art project until she fell asleep in a pile of saw dust in the shed in her backyard.

She was dressed In her pajamas, sanding down the rough edges one of the faces she had finished carving into the totem pole she was making for The Fort. She heard her phone go off and had to search for it, finding it sitting under her chainsaw.

The text she read made her gasp and drop her phone. She picked her phone up from the floor and reread the text, to make sure she read it right. Unfortunately, she had.

-

"This isn’t solving anything." Lindsay said, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"It never solved anything before. Why should that change now?" Ryan asked, still staring up at the sky

The stars had left hours ago and the sun was starting to rise off in the distance, changing the colours of the sky from blacks and blues to pinks and purples. Ryan and Lindsay had been lying on the roof of Ryan’s trailer since midnight, watching the stars. Both of them tried to start conversations but it was forced and neither of them want to talk.

"It did used to work though." Lindsay argued. "When things were bad when we were little, we would climb up here and when we climbed down things always seemed better."

"Things were simpler when we were little, Lindsay." he said, propping himself up on his elbows. "We didn’t have to worry about real things. We worried about your parents fighting or if my mom would come home that night. In the morning things would be better because my mom would be home and your parents would have made up."

"But now we’re grown up and we know what real problems are. Real problems are if I’m going to fail junior year. Real problems are how you are going to pay for college. Real problems are kids getting shot at school." she said, her voice getting louder and louder with each word.

"Lindsay, calm down. It’s gonna be okay. You aren’t going to fail. I’ve got a full ride academic scholarship. We’re gonna be fine." he said grabbing her arm as he sat up.

He turned her around to face him and saw that she was crying. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"We’re gonna be fine, Lindsay. I promise." he said, stroking her hair.

"Ryan, I don’t want to be here anymore." she whispered into his chest.

"Where do you want to go then?"

"Far away from where. I want to drive until we run out of gas and than just keep walking. I never want to come back here again. I want to forget everything about Austin fucking Texas."

"You know we can’t do that. What about Michael? You love Michael. What about your parents? What about Geoff and Griffon and Ray and everyone else?"

"They can come with us. We can pack up in Geoff’s car and Jack’s truck and be on the road before the run even rises."

"I’ll call them. See what I can do." he sighed.

-

Michael, Jack, and Ray were sitting in the basement of Michael’s house having a Halo tournament. It had lost it’s appeal and entertainment value after about an hour in, but one of them wanted to stop playing. To stop playing would be to come back to the real world. None of them wanted to think about what had happened.

They only stopped because Michael phone began to go off.

"Who is it?" Ray asked, staring at the pause screen on the TV.

"Geoff. Everyone’s getting together at the diner for breakfast in half an hour." Michael said, hitting a button on his phone and stuffing it into his pocket.

"Why didn’t I get a text?" Jack asked.

"He knows you two are with me. He say’s he’ll pick up Ryan and Lindsay and meet us there." he said, shutting down the game.

-

The corner booths at the dinner were the biggest booths at the diner, but not big enough to fit everyone comfortably. Lindsay was sitting in Michael’s lap, Ray was sitting in a chair at the open corner of the table and they were still waiting for Griffon to show up.

The table was covered in plates of fries and onion rings. A few milkshakes were being passed around too. They all munched at the food, but nobody was talking.

The topic of the school shooting hung in the air like a bad smell. Everyone knew about it but none of them wanted to be the one to start talking about it.

The diner was mostly empty except for them and a few old people getting together for brunch. It was eleven in the morning on a Wednesday. The high school students were probably still sleeping, all of the other students were in school, and most adults were working.

"Griffon, we’re over here." Jack said, when he saw the blonde walk through the front door.

Geoff turned around to greet his girlfriend, but saw her rushing around the tables with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Grif." he said, standing up and catching her. "What wrong?"

"Sean’s dead." she spat out, holding on to his forearms so she didn’t crash into him as she stopped.

"What do you mean Sean’s dead?" Ryan asked.

"How do you know?" Jack asked

"Who told you this?" Lindsay asked.

"Are you sure it was Sean?" Ray asked.

"That can’t be right." Gavin said.

"Shut up!" Geoff yelled, silencing everyone’s talking. "Grif, what do you mean Sean’s dead?"

Geoff sat down on the edge of the booth and Griffon sat down in his lap, taking one of his hands. She ran her fingers over the key tattoo on the side of his hand as she talked.

"Sean’s dead. Toby texted me and said he was one of the kids who was sent to the hospital." she explained quietly. "Brandon’s in the hospital too. He was shot in the back. Kara and JJ are in the hospital too. They aren’t as bad as Brandon. But they aren’t doing too good either. This is all coming straight from Toby. He saw them all. He’s been there all night."

Everyone sat in silence, taking the information in.

"Kara and JJ should make a full recovery. But Brandon may never walk again. He’s in surgery right now." Griffon spoke up, reading the text from her phone.

"Can we tell them our plan now, Ryan?" Lindsay asked, wiping her cheeks.

"What plan?" Michael asked.

Lindsay shifted around so she was facing him. “I don’t want to be in Austin anymore. I want to leave. Fuck high school. Let’s just pack up and drive till we run out of gas. Then we can keep walking until we get where we’re going.”

"Sounds like a plan to me." Griffon mumbled, tossing her phone on to the table.


	3. Time Stands Still

Lindsay sat on top one of picnic tables, absentmindedly picking at a hole in her jeans. Michael sat on the bench, his head resting on Lindsay’s thigh. Neither were talking, just sitting.

They weren’t the only students hesitating before going in the building. A lot of students were still in their cars in the parking lot, or sitting in their parents cars in front of the school. A few were sitting around in the grass and at the other picnic tables in the front lawn.

"Hey, Ryan." Michael mumbled as Ryan sat down at the table across the table from him.

Lindsay turned around and smiled at Ryan. Jack and Ray walked up to the table and sat down next to him.

"I have a cat now." Jack said, trying to make conversation.

"Can I have it?" Lindsay asked.

"Now. She is my kitty."

Lindsay looked over where a few students were rounding the corner of the building from the parking lot behind the school. Geoff was giving Gavin a piggy back ride and still managing to hold on to Griffon’s hand. The three made their way over to the picnic table. Geoff set Gavin on the edge of the picnic table beside Lindsay and sat down next to Michael, pulling Griffon into his lap.

"We’re going to have to go in eventually." Griffon spoke up after a few more minutes of silence.

"Unless we decide to skip." Michael responded, hopefully.

From inside the building the bell rang.

"We have to go." Geoff said, standing up and taking Griffon’s hand.

"I don’t want to." Lindsay sighed, sliding off the table.

Michael stood up and took her hand, squeezing it as they walked towards the building. Jack and Ryan followed, quietly talking about the video project that they never finished. Ray trailed behind them, dragging his feet.

"Who’s gonna hold my hand?" Gavin asked, still sitting on the picnic table.

Geoff reached back and took Gavin’s hand, tugging him to his feet. Gavin squeezed Geoff’s hand and allowed himself to be tugged towards the building.

-

 _"Good morning, students. Welcome back."_ the principal said over the intercom system. _“In light of recent events, today is a day of reflection. There will be grief counseling available in the office and group counseling sessions in the upper gym. Feel free to make you way there. Unfortunately, I am going to have to be the bearer of bad news. If you haven’t already heard, Sean Humphreys was shot and killed on Thursday. Brandon Hill, Kara Erudite, and Jose Jones were also harmed on Thursday, but are doing well and are at Memorial Children’s Hospital if you wish to visit them after classes.”_

-

"I am terrified." Paige said, staring down at her hands and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I want to turn back time. I need to know if Brandon’s gonna be okay. What if he never walks again?"

"Right now, all we can give Brandon is our love and our support." Ms. Chang, the group counselor told Paige. "Thank you for sharing. Who’s next? Geoff, how about you?"

"I’d rather not." Geoff said, slouching in his chair.

Michael sat to Geoff left, staring at a stain on the top of his trainer like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Just repeat the three phrases and fill in the blanks." Ms. Chang insisted, spinning her chair to face the teen. "I am. I want. I need."

Geoff sighed and cocked his head to the side, staring at the counselor. “I am Geoffrey Ramsey. I want some chocolate milk. I need a nap.”

"Be serious, Geoff."

"I am being serious. This is stupid. What is us sitting around in a circle, crying and sharing our feelings going to solve?" He asked, anger and annoyance rising in voice as he stood up. "It’s not gonna make time rewind and stop Ricky from shooting up the school. It’s not gonna bring Sean back. Brandon will still be in critical condition and JJ and Kara will still be in the hospital with bullet wounds. This is just a waste of time."

Geoff knocked his chair out of the way as he angrily headed for the doors leading to the hallway.

-

"I still don’t know who the shooter was." Burnie spoke up.

"Maybe there’s a reason people aren’t telling you." Ray mumbled, picking at a scratch mark on his desk.

"Why wouldn’t people tell me?" Burnie demanded. "Sean is my little brother. I have the right to know who killed him."

"The shooter was Ricky Hamilton." Mr. Sanchez spoke up. "He is currently in police custody."

Burnie jumped to his feet, knocking his desk over in his haste.

"Burnie, what are you going to do?" Joel asked, standing up as well, reaching out and putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. "He’s already in police custody. People know that he was the shooter. He’s going to jail no matter what happens. One account of murder. Three attempts at murder."

Burnie covered his eyes with one hand. Ray stood up and made his way over to the football player. Burnie had at least two hundred pounds and six inches on Ray, but broke down crying when Ray hugged him.

-

"There is no excuse. None. For what Ricky did. But labeling him a monster isn’t going to help us understand why it happened." Mr. Ryan said, as he walked in between the rows of computers.

"He was bullied." Lindsay spoke up. "Horribly. He was thrown in the dumpster on more occasions than I can count. He was pushed in the halls. He was hit, beaten up, called names. Everything."

"You tell someone before it gets that bad." Mr. Ryan said, leaning against his desk in the front of the room.

"What if nobody listens?" Jack asked, staring into the blank monitor that sat in front of him.

"You keep telling people. Until someone listens."

"So what are we supposed to do? Rat out who was bullying Ricky?" Ryan asked, coldly.

-

Griffon was glad that at least one class wasn’t talking about what happened on Thursday. Mr. Burton had turned off the lights and put a movie on. Griffon sat in her usual spot in the back of the room by the window. She was using the light of the window to sketch in her sketch book. But she wasn’t sketching Gavin like she normally did. She was sketching the main hallway of the school. The way it looked on Thursday. With pools of blood, blood splatters on the lockers, and Brandon being rushed away on a stretcher, while EMTs worked on him. She knew that they weren’t supposed to see that, and she didn’t see all of it. Just a small glimpse as the SWAT members ushered everyone out other doors to avoid the main hall.

Gavin was back to his old ways, kneeling on his stool, wearing his messy smock button up. A large mound of clay sat in front of him. He was ripping pieces off and construction the basic structure for another monster. Since his other one had dried out and couldn’t be sculpted anymore.

Griffon kept glancing over at Gavin to make sure the lad was alright. But all she could see was Gavin completely and utterly absorbed in his work. The only thing missing was his stupid little smile. Instead it was replaced by a look made of stone.

-

Geoff sat on the hood of his car, smoking a cigarette as he waited for everyone else to show up. Lunch time was finally here and it was one of the days they were allowed to go off campus for lunch. Griffon was making her way across the parking lot.

"You know, I’ve been thinking," Geoff started once Griffon was in ear shot. "Maybe we should just start driving. Get away from here for a while."

"Sounds good to me." she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Geoff blew smoke up towards the sky, purposely trying to keep it away from Griffon. She hated that Geoff smoked, only if it was just in emergencies.

Everyone else was making their way across the lot to the two cars. Michael was holding tightly to Lindsay’s hand and had her backpack slung over one of his shoulders.

"What happened to I quit?" Jack asked Geoff, pulling the cigarette out of Geoff’s mouth and taking a drag.

"I could ask you the same thing." Geoff remarked. "Anyone wanna go for a drive?"

"Where we going?" Ray asked, settling himself in the gravel of the parking lot.

"Doesn’t matter. We’re not coming back anytime soon." Griffon said.

"Finally. Let’s go." Lindsay said, headed towards the backseat of Jack’s car, pulling Michael with her.

"Let’s head East." Gavin suggested, climbing into the back of Geoff’s car.

"Why East?" Geoff asked, tossing people’s backpacks into the truck of his car.

"It’s closer to my home than heading West." He remarked.


End file.
